Remind children of farm safety on summer break

With school out for the summer and kids at home, it's a good idea to give them a refresher course on farm safety.

Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK), a non-profit organization that educates children and adults about farm safety, has several new materials available to help parents drive safety messages home to their kids.

The group offers the following safety tips for kids:

Don't play on or around grain. Seek help if someone is caught in grain.

Don't drink and eat anything if you don't know what it is. Follow warnings on chemical containers.

No seat, no rider. Don't ask to ride, and don't encourage others to ride.

Wear sunscreen and hats when in the sun. Wear dust masks when around dust.

Stay outside the animal fence. Be alert to animal behavior.

Mow up and down slopes with riding mowers and across when using a push mower. Never leave a running mower unattended. No extra riders on lawn mowers.

Walk around moving machine parts, and don't remove shields.

Wear a seat belt when in vehicles. Don't ride in the back of pickups. Obey traffic laws when driving. Be alert to slow moving vehicles and other dangers.

Wear protective equipment when on recreational vehicles. Ride vehicles that are appropriate for your size and ability and most importantly, drive them sensibly.

Several brochures are available for 50 cents or less each at www.fs4jk.org, and select titles can be downloaded for free. Topics include ATV safety for middle schoolers, propane safety (complete with propane-scented stickers), lawn mower safety, safety around livestock, tractor safety, and rural health. There is also a general farm safety brochure available in Spanish.

Other new items from FS4JK include a compilation DVD of videos from the organization, an ATV safety education packet and interactive CD, an intergenerational safety booklet, and more. Games, books and other activities are also available to help teach children of all ages about farm safety.

The site also offers downloads of safety-related crosswords and other games, coloring pages and safety tips, as well as an online quiz.

Visit www.fs4jk.org or call 800-423-5437 for more information.

With school out for the summer and kids at home, it's a good idea to give them a refresher course on farm safety.